"That's extra duty," he said. Prime Outlets officials "requested them and they would have paid for them."

Stores at Prime Outlets, which is on Richmond Road, opened at midnight. Spearman said the main problem both police and shoppers faced was traffic. Cars were backed up on Richmond Road from the Williamsburg city limits, just past the Airport Road intersection, to Prime Outlets, he said.

Richmond Road traffic going south from Route 199 was backed up to that highway, and then along Route 199 all the way to the interchange at Interstate 64.

Three minor accidents took place in the Prime Outlets parking lot, Spearman said. No one was injured.

Police were also called at 12:37 a.m. to the Timberland outlet to deal with an unruly crowd.

Traffic was less hectic around malls and shopping centers in Hampton, Newport News and Suffolk, where police did not report any traffic problems because of Black Friday shopping. *